PREVIEW OF MY NEW AD

Pardon this advertisement for myself, but I'm very happy with my new print ad, which will appear in the January 2010 Washingtonian Bride & Groom Magazine.

Thanks for Rebecca Schwartz of design4dc@gmail.com for providing the graphic design for the new ad ... and thanks to my old friend Dick Bangham of RipBang Productions, who designed the Good Note logo way back when.

THE MARBECCA "LOVE STORY" -- A SPECIAL TOUCH FOR YOUR RECEPTION

For couples looking to add a very personal touch to their wedding reception, one special service a properly trained DJ can offer you is to read aloud just prior to your First Dance the story of how you met and fell in love and got engaged.

This concept was originated in 1989 by the acclaimed West Coast DJ/entertainment team of Mark and Rebecca Ferrell, who crafted and refined it over a decade before offering workshops to teach the concept to other professionals. Mark and Rebecca call it “The Love Story.” When I do it, I simply refer to it as a “personalized” or “enhanced” introduction, but the concept and method is the same I learned directly from them at a Marbecca Method Love Story workshop I attended in August 2005.

One key to the success of this concept is that the bride and groom separately share their love story in their own words with their DJ in advance, answering a series of questions he asks each of them. Then, the DJ takes the two sets of answers and edits them into a script to be read aloud at your reception.

This presentation becomes a very unique and memorable moment during your reception. It can be sentimental and/or humorous – usually, both – and it never fails to get a good reaction from your guests, who enjoy being “let in on” your personal love story.

After years working with this concept, Mark and Rebecca found that many DJs who attempted to emulate it simply lacked the training, knowledge, or writing and speaking skills to do it right. And done poorly, it can be boring or even embarrassing.

If you’re using a DJ who’s a Marbecca workshop graduate, consider asking him to include the Love Story at your reception. If you’re a DJ looking to upgrade your skill sets and offer a unique service to wedding couples, consider attending a future Marbecca workshop.

WEDDING VENUES - A DJ's PERSPECTIVE

It’s funny. Venues are often asked by wedding couples to recommend DJs, but DJs are rarely asked to recommend venues.  This, even though an experienced wedding DJ has hands-on, real-world experience performing at scores, if not hundreds, of wedding reception sites in his region.

If that DJ is paying careful attention when he works at each venue, he’ll observe all sorts of things about the place. Big things. Little things. Good things. Bad things.

How practical are the logistics?  How well are the details managed? How friendly are the staff? How does the place look under different lighting conditions? How suitable are the spaces for cocktails, dinner, and dancing? Does the place have strict curfews or does it allow the party to continue another hour if you want it to? Your DJ may be able to give you insight on all this, and more.

Even during the planning phase, the DJ will learn first-hand from wedding couples about their interactions with the venue coordinators – how flexible and accommodating are they?

Beyond that, an experienced wedding DJ probably knows of venues that meet whatever criteria you’re looking for.  Are you interested in a rustic venue, or a very urbane one?  A big hotel or boutique hotel? A place by the Bay or in the mountains? A place that is architecturally distinctive, whether  historic or ultra-modern? A place with beautiful gardens or a drop-dead gorgeous ballroom or a breathtaking view?  Your DJ might suggest places you otherwise might not have considered.

So don’t hesitate to get your DJ’s input on your choice of wedding venues – and once you’ve chosen a venue, get his input on how to utilize that venue.  Not that the DJ's is the final word -- but his input might help inform your planning.  Likewise, get the input of other experienced wedding vendors who’ve spent countless hours working at various venues – such as photographers, videographers, caterers.

Maybe it’s just a pipedream on my part, but I think there are times it would even make sense to hire the DJ and photographer first, and the venue second!

ROCK'N'ROLL WEDDING BANDS

Interesting article in the Sunday (Nov. 1) New York Times about what the reporter terms "one of New York’s premier wedding bands for people who would never dream of hiring a wedding band." The group, The Dexter Lake Club Band, is a raucous rock band with a rakish rock'n'roll attitude -- not the typical tuxedo-clad all-purpose wedding band. Yet they specialize in wedding gigs.

The article portrays the group as a fun alternative to the traditional wedding band, but not without some drawbacks.

The band plays a wide range of popular covers, but unabashedly balks at playing others, even if requested. A more conventional wedding band (or DJ) will play whatever the bride and groom and their families and friends wish to hear.

This band actually puts a clause in its contract giving them access to the bar.  Normally, a professional wedding vendor would never dream of drinking on the job, much less demand it!

And, if the article is to be believed, the group will at times purposely play unappealing songs if they feel put upon by the mother of the bride or aren't happy with the vendor meal.  That rebellious stance befits the rock'n'roll mystique but strikes me as sketchy when we're talking about somebody's wedding!

Two rock'n'roll/R&B bands here in the Washington DC area that qualify as nontraditional wedding bands but without the naughty behavior of the group profiled in the Times -- are The Grandsons and The Johnny Artis Band .  Both bands listed as among Washingtonian Magazine's "Best Wedding Vendors" (as, I'm proud to say, am I).

GOODBYE, WEDDING SEASON

As October draws to a close, so does the "wedding season." The months ahead are traditionally the slow months for those of us in the wedding industry.

According to a survey conducted by The Wedding Report, nearly three-quarters  of weddings (73.5%) take place in the six months from May to October. Only one in four weddings (26.5%) occur during the other six months.

In recent years, September and October have surpassed May and June as the peak wedding months, according to The Wedding Report.

The least popular months for weddings? January and February, followed by December and March.

One take-away for brides: If you're budget conscious but still want to hire the best quality vendors, schedule your wedding in the off-season, when many wedding vendors offer their services at off-peak discount rates.

A ROCKIN' RECESSIONAL

Here's an idea that I think is fun, and that ends your ceremony with a bit of a kick.

Lots of brides and grooms who choose traditional classical music for most of their ceremony -- the prelude and processional music -- switch to a rock'n'roll, R&B, or pop song for their recessional. The recessional, of course, is the song played just after the officiant pronounces you husband and wife, and you walk together back up the aisle, away from the altar.

Here are just some examples of songs for a rockin' recessional:

• "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" by McFadden & Whitehead
• "All You Need Is Love" by The Beatles
• "Beautiful Day" by U2
• "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" by Queen
• "Happy Together" by The Turtles
• "Higher and Higher" by Jackie Wilson
• "Hold On, I'm Coming" by Sam & Dave
• "I Got You (I Feel Good)" by James Brown
• "I Walk The Line" by Johnny Cash
• "I'm a Believer" by The Monkees OR Smash Mouth
• "It's Too Late To Turn Back Now" by Cornelius Bros. & Sister Rose
• "Let's Stay Together" by Al Green
• "Signed Sealed Delivered" by Stevie Wonder
• "With This Ring" by The Platters

With their lyrics about the joys of love, these songs suit the moment when you've just been presented as husband and wife, and have shared that first married kiss. And with their upbeat tempo, they signal to the guests that, with the ceremony over, the party is about to begin!

IN PRAISE OF AUTUMN WEDDINGS

I love autumn weddings, because I love autumn.

There is a chill in the air, which can be invigorating. But not the bitter cold of winter. The autumn air is often crisp, autumn night skies often clear.

It’s a time of harvesting, gathering, bringing things home. A time celebrated with hearty food and the soothing aromas of spices like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger. The start of the holiday season, with Thanksgiving and Christmas waiting in the wings.

There is a slight tinge of sadness in the air in autumn. Yet it is a beautiful kind of sadness – for as the leaves dry up and just before they fall, they give us those exquisite bursts of warm browns, orange, golden, and red. The color palette of autumn foliage is one of the beauties of nature. And we understand that the trees aren’t dying, they’re just going through a natural cycle, leading to the rebirth of all the greenery in the spring.

There is something cozy about an autumn wedding. With winter approaching, we’ll be spending more time indoors, doing cozy, intimate things. For a newly married couple, that means lots of quality time cuddled up together, curled up in front of a fire, enjoying the warmth of your home and of each other’s arms.

GUEST BOOK IDEA

Here's an alternative to the traditional, somewhat stodgy guestbook for your wedding reception.

Instead of just setting out a guestbook, you can provide each guest (or each couple) an individual "guest page" which contains prompts for them to write more than just their names and "best wishes." At the end of your reception, you collect all the pages and compile them into a keepsake book.

There's a company that makes such a product. It's The Guestbook Store.

Here's how they describe this:

Rather than a book of autographs likely to be stored away, these non-traditional guestbooks personalize your event and capture guests' memories and heartfelt wishes of your special day.

Each guest at your event will receive their very own guestbook page to fill out and share special messages at their leisure. After your event, simply place the completed pages in one of our many guestbook album designs and enjoy!

I like this idea. All too often, at wedding receptions, I notice that many guests don't even notice the guestbook. And even if they do, they can't think of anything unique to write. And this is true even if I'm asked to make an announcement reminding the guests there is a guestbook sitting out there awaiting signatures.

HOW LATE IS YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER STAYING?

Some wedding photographers always stay until the end of your reception; their contract includes total coverage of your wedding celebration.


But many photographers stay only for a predetermined number of hours, depending on how many hours you've contracted for. That may mean they're scheduled to leave before your reception is scheduled to end. Sometimes, even before special moment such as the cake-cutting or bouquet toss take place.


Now, if you're aware of that and okay with that, so be it.


But sometimes what happens is that very early in the planning process, the wedding couple contract for X number of hours with their photographer, and much later in the planning process, when they finalize the reception schedule, they neglect to check whether the photographer's hours cover all the events they've scheduled.

It's easy to get mixed up about this, because your photographer's hours typically start BEFORE the event does, with pre-ceremony photos, and because you probably signed your deal with the photographer long before you worked out the timing of moments like your cake-cutting, bouquet toss, last dance, and so on.


My advice? Unless your budget forbids it, hire your photographer for the duration of the event. That avoids situations where someone has to choose between not having professional shots of some memorable moments or reshuffling the schedule on the fly to accommodate the photographer's departure time.

Another option is to schedule ALL the special moments early in the reception so as to take place within the photographer's slated time. But that to me seems like the tail wagging the dog.


Besides, at plenty of receptions all sorts of spontaneously fun -- and very photogenic -- things occur as the evening progresses. If your entertainment is going strong, you might miss having some great candid shots of your guests tearing it up on the dance floor if your photographer leaves before the end.

YOUR FLOOR PLAN & YOUR MUSIC

As a professional wedding DJ, I do everything I can to keep the bride and groom and their guest happy. But I can’t repeal the laws of physics.

If your grandmother is seated three feet from my speakers, the music is going to sound too loud to her -- even during dinner, when I’m trying to play soft background music. And if your venue sticks the DJ in a corner far away from the dance floor, the music might lack the “punch” that energizes dancers.

What I’m getting at is this: Correct placement of the DJ or live band relative to the guest tables and the dance floor is critical to the success of your reception. It is not rocket science. The sound system should be adjacent to the dance floor, and should NOT be butting up against the tables where guests are seated for dinner.

You’d think this would be obvious. And you’d be right. Sadly, some reception sites and caterers ignore this obvious point. That’s why I always ask to review my clients’ floor plans in advance.

I recently had to convince a hotel wedding coordinator to modify a plan that placed the DJ in a corner, with many guest tables smack dab in front of him, situated between him and the dance floor.

When I objected, she said: “We’ve done it this way for years, and I’ve never gotten any complaints.” I had to tell her the truth: “Believe me, there are complaints. But you don’t get them; the DJ does!” Think about it. If the entrée comes out cold, the guests don’t complain to the DJ. And if the music sounds too loud, they don’t complain to the banquet staff.

By the way, although this hotel coordinator was miffed at my candor, she agreed to alter the floor plan, and that wedding reception was a great success.

One of my goals as a professional wedding DJ is to trouble-shoot potential problems in advance, so that your wedding day goes smoothly. And I know from experience that if guests are seated too close to the DJ’s equipment, you’re asking for problems. Fortunately, these problems can be avoided. Often, minor readjustments of the floor plan do the trick.

In cases where it’s impossible to allow a sufficient buffer between the DJ and the tables (for example, if your guest count bumps up against the room’s capacity), there is a fallback solution. Simply avoid sitting older guests at the tables that are closest to the sound system. Seat only guests in their 20s and 30s at those tables.

By having your DJ or bandleader review your floor plan in advance, he can spot the potential problem and recommend which tables should be moved or be reserved for younger guests.